Commercial van insurance: the vehicle, its conversions and the tools on board

Commercial van insurance covers, as a minimum, the vehicle's third-party liability and, depending on the policy, the van itself. What it almost never covers by default is what is inside: tools, goods and body conversions fall under separate options, each capped and subject to conditions. Yet for a home-care, construction or delivery company, it is the contents, not the bodywork, that stop the business when a van is broken into.

What counts as a commercial vehicle for an insurer?

A light commercial vehicle (LCV) is a category N1 vehicle: designed to carry goods, with a gross vehicle weight of 3.5 tonnes or less. Vans, panel vans, small trucks and pick-ups fall within this definition, whether the French registration document shows "CTTE" or "VASP" for converted vehicles. Above 3.5 tonnes you move into heavy goods territory, with a category C licence and a different insurance regime.

For the insurer, two factors matter as much as size: the declared use (business travel, rounds, delivery) and the driver (a named employee, any employee, a temp worker). A van declared for "business travel" that in fact runs daily deliveries is a more expensive risk: in the event of a claim, article L. 113-9 of the French Insurance Code allows the insurer to reduce the payout in proportion to the premium that should have been charged.

Which commercial van insurance is compulsory?

The only legal obligation is motor third-party liability, imposed by article L. 211-1 of the French Insurance Code on every motor vehicle, whether it is driven or parked. It compensates damage caused to third parties, with no cap on bodily injury. Driving uninsured carries a €3,750 fine (article L. 324-2 of the Highway Code), and the French guarantee fund then recovers from the company whatever it has paid to victims.

Everything else is contractual: theft, fire, accidental damage, driver protection, and above all three covers that rarely get discussed — contents, conversions and employee-owned vehicles on business use.

The figures in this table are 2026 market orders of magnitude; every policy sets its own.

Are the tools and goods in the van covered?

Rarely, and never without asking. An "own damage" cover indemnifies the vehicle and its factory equipment. Drills, scaffolding, spare-part stock or parcels in transit are contents, covered only by a "business goods and equipment carried" extension, which is capped — often at €10,000 per claim in the most comprehensive policies — and restricted to vehicles insured for business use.

The conditions make all the difference. Most policies require characterised forced entry, meaning physical signs of a break-in, while theft through electronic hacking of the locks, which leaves no trace, is rising sharply according to work by Argos, the French insurers' body specialising in vehicle theft. Many policies also exclude theft of contents between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. on the public highway, or require a locked garage. A plumber's van parked overnight outside an employee's home and emptied without forced entry is only covered if the "theft without forced entry" option and the parking clause have been negotiated.

On a trade van, the bodywork is worth €25,000 and can be replaced in three weeks; the tools are worth €15,000 and their absence halts a site the very next morning.

This is not a marginal issue. The French building federation puts the cost of theft on sites and from vehicles at around €2 billion a year, and a Coyote-YouGov survey run in 2025 indicates that seven construction firms out of ten suffered a theft during the year. According to France Assureurs and Argos, vehicle theft fell by 9% in 2025 (64,088 vehicles), but theft is becoming more professional and vans remain prime targets. The exposure is identical in construction and personal services, where equipment travels in unmarked vehicles.

Do vehicle conversions have to be declared to the insurer?

Yes, always. Racking, plywood flooring, workbenches, refrigeration units, tail lifts, roof racks, livery and beacon lighting are not part of the vehicle as it left the factory. If they are not declared, they are compensated at best within an "accessories" cap of a few hundred to a few thousand euros, whereas a full mobile-workshop conversion commonly costs €5,000 to €15,000 and a refrigeration unit exceeds €10,000.

Declaration is made with invoices, distinguishing what is fixed to the vehicle (conversion) from what is removable (tools): that distinction determines which cover responds and which excess applies. A conversion that changes the vehicle's category on the registration document is an aggravation of risk under article L. 113-2 of the Insurance Code, to be declared to the insurer within fifteen days.

What happens when an employee uses their own vehicle for work?

This is the blind spot of home care and field maintenance: the care worker or technician travels in their own car and is reimbursed per kilometre. Their personal policy covers home-to-work journeys, but regular undeclared business use can lead to a reduced payout or an outright refusal, and the employer's liability can be brought into play.

The "business use of employee vehicles" extension sits on the company's fleet or commercial package policy and covers employees' own vehicles used on assignment: damage to the vehicle, theft, sometimes driver protection. It is rated on the number of employees concerned or on the annual mileage reimbursed.

At how many vehicles should you move to a fleet policy?

Insurers offer fleet contracts from three to five vehicles depending on the carrier. A fleet policy brings every vehicle into a single contract, rated on the company's own claims experience rather than each driver's no-claims bonus, with vehicles added and removed during the year and consistent cover throughout.

According to comparison sites, the average premium for a van insured on its own is around €500 a year in 2026; a van on comprehensive cover including contents and conversions sits closer to €800 to €1,500 a year, and more for urban courier work or a young driver. In a fleet, pooling and prevention measures (trackers, reinforced locks, tool marking) are negotiable, as we explain in our ten levers for reducing a premium.

Frequently asked questions

Does commercial van insurance cover tools stolen at night?

Only if the policy includes contents cover, without a time-of-day exclusion or with a parking clause that matches how you actually operate. Check three lines: the forced-entry requirement, the excluded time band, and the per-claim limit.

Can a company van be insured in an employee's name?

No: the policyholder must be the owner or lessee of the vehicle, so the company for a company van. The employee is named as a driver, or the policy covers any authorised driver.

Are goods delivered for a client covered by contents cover?

Generally no: contents cover applies to the company's own property. Goods entrusted by clients fall under carrier's liability or a specific goods-in-transit policy, which you need if you deliver on behalf of others.

Does a van on a long-term lease have to be insured by the company?

Yes, unless the lessor includes insurance in the rental. Long-term leases usually require comprehensive cover plus gap insurance, which bridges the difference between the insurer's payout and the rentals still owed.

At Lesto, we build commercial vehicle insurance around what the vehicles carry and who drives them: a tool inventory, conversions declared at their real value, cover for employees using their own cars, and a single fleet policy as soon as the vehicle count justifies it. We consult an average of nine insurers per case and deliver our analysis within 72 hours. Your van is insured — but are its contents? Discover our motor fleet offer and request a review of your policies.